


The Test Of Loyalty

by Eastofthemoon



Series: Bunnymund Holmes [7]
Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Historical, Corpses, F/M, Humor, Jack in drag, M/M, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Romance, Sherlock AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-14
Updated: 2013-08-14
Packaged: 2017-12-23 12:13:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/926274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/pseuds/Eastofthemoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young woman disappears, and her older brothers asked Bunny Holmes to investigate the infamous Captain Bluebeard.  However, when it results in Jack having to go into disguise to get closer to the captain, Bunny can't help but fear Jack that will vanish along with Bluebeard's previous wives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Test Of Loyalty

**Author's Note:**

> I've been working on this story for months and I'm glad it's finally done. Yes, this is based off the Bluebeard fairytale with some modifications to fit into the Bunny Holmes universe.
> 
> Big thanks goes to both Icka and my dear husband for both editing/grammar checking this story.

“Roll over! Come on, Gladstone, roll over!”

Bunny quirked an eyebrow as he walked by Jack’s room. He was currently on his hands and knees staring directly into Gladstone’s vacant expression. “Come on, boy, it’s easy,” repeated Jack as he gently reached for Gladstone and tried to push him onto his back. “Roll over.”

However, Gladstone laid motionless on his side and simply thumped his tail against the floor.

“What,” asked Bunny as he tucked the paper under his arm, “are ya doin’?”

Jack sighed as he sat up, showing Bunny he was only wearing a shirt and pants with no shoes. This was a version of Jack that Bunny was getting to see more and more since Jack had moved in with him. Not that Bunny minded this, far from it. It was a sign Jack was more comfortable with dropping his masks when they were alone.

“I am trying to train your dog,” Jack explained, leaning back against his dresser. He ran a hand through his hair and let loose a frustrated sigh. “And it would be much easier if he could actually eat treats.”

Bunny smirked “No need to get aggro, Mate.” Unlike normal dogs, Gladstone was actually a spirit living inside the body of a dead bulldog. Thus, he didn’t need to be fed, but it meant he couldn’t be bribed with food either. 

“He doesn’t need trainin’, he just knows ta only take ‘is orders from me and North,” said Bunny with a smirk.

Jack frowned and scoffed. “Prove it.”

Bunny accepted the challenge and kneeled. “Gladstone.” Instantly, the dog jumped to his feet and stared intensely at Bunny. “Sit.” Gladstone sat and never took his gaze off of Bunny. “Shake a paw.” He got to savour the wide-eyed expression on Jack’s face as Gladstone lifted his paw for Bunny to shake. “Now, roll over.”

Gladstone then collapsed, gleefully rolled over and finished with a sharp bark. Bunny glanced up to Jack and grinned smugly. “See, he’s smart enough ta decide who his master is and when to obey.” _Although,_ Bunny thought, _he does tend to listen to North more because of the extra attention he gives the pup._

Jack’s eyes narrowed, then he turned to Gladstone. “Hey, Gladstone.” 

The dog sat and stared at Jack with the same vacant expression as before. Jack leaned forward and said “Play dead!”

Gladstone tilted his head and stared at Jack. “Good boy!” Jack replied with a grin and patted the dog on the head.

“He didn’t do anythin’,” Bunny asked, not sure what Jack was trying to prove.

“On the contrary,” Jack decreed with affronted dignity as he climbed to his feet. “Gladstone is already dead and therefore he is doing exactly as I told him.”

Bunny blinked, and then groaned as the joke soaked in. “Ha ha, very cute.”

The bell rang, interrupting their conversation. Bunny could hear Phil’s grumbles as the yeti went to answer the door. “Might be another case,” Bunny replied as he looked back to Jack. “Ya comin’ down?”

Jack shrugged, gesturing to his casual attire. “In a bit, not quite dressed to greet guests at the moment. But I’ll linger outside so I can eavesdrop.”

That was the answer Bunny was expecting, Jack would probably have his arm cut off before he let strangers see him less than perfectly groomed. “Right, see ya in a bit then,” Bunny replied as he left to find out who rang the bell.

The guests waiting for him in the study turned out to be a pair of young men - brothers, if Bunny was not wrong, based off their similar colouration and facial structures. Their clothing was made of sturdy yet fine material, but showed evidence of wear. The taller one had a smudged ink stain on one sleeve, most likely from routine paperwork. 

Combined with the scent of various spices and seasonings, he concluded that they must work with the items often. They were far from the working class, but were very careful in how they spent their money. Most likely clerks for a spice merchant. 

The taller and older looking of the two fidgeted with the cuffs on his sleeves while the younger tapped his toe repeatedly against the floor, drawing his attention to the smudges of dirt on their shoes - most likely from taking a shortcut through Regency Park. 

They were worried about something, that much was clear. No wedding rings or tan lines on their fingers, so not a wife....

“Are you Mister Holmes?” the taller man spoke as he removed his hat.

Bunny nodded and gestured for them to take a seat. “I am.”

The taller man gave a sigh and gave a curt bow with his head. “I’m Bruce Huntsman and this is my brother Steven.”

Bunny nodded. “And what can I do for ya gents?”

Steven sighed. “Well, it’s about our sister Claire. We’re greatly concerned for her.”

Bunny stiffened. A pair of brothers coming to see a detective about their sister? No doubt it was about a man the girl was courting of whom the brothers didn’t approve. Thus, they wanted Bunny to investigate him in order to prove why the fellow was a poor choice to the sister.

“If ya expectin’ me to convince ya sister to not see a certain man, that’s not my type of work.”

“That’s not it, Mister Holmes,” said Bruce as his gripped the brim of his hat. “Claire has gone missing.”

Bunny straightened his posture. Now this was sounding like a case he could work with. “Go on.”

“Claire was suppose to be home Sunday for Bruce’s birthday, after visiting her fiancé, but she never appeared,” Steven explained anxiously.

Bruce shook his head. “That’s not like Claire, she would break an arm before letting her family down, so we went to see her fiancé to find out where she had gone.”

Steven tensed. “When we asked her fiancé about this, he said she had never arrived at his house. So, he doesn’t know where she is.”

Bunny began drumming his fingers on the chair, already sensing where this was going, and responded with a frown. “And you don’t believe him? Ya thinkin’ he did something?”

“Course not,” Steven snapped, but Bruce calmed him by placing a hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, Sir, don’t mean to snap, but we know he’s done something to her, especially considering his reputation.”

Bunny leaned forward. “What do you mean?”

Bruce stared at his hands grimly. “She’s engaged to Captain Bluebeard.”

“The Captain of Loyalty?” said Bunny, honestly surprised. If the girl was engaged to him, it was no wonder they were worried. The man wasn’t as famous as the Queen or even Pitch, but he was well-known enough. The reason for his infamy being the number of wives the man had gone through, all disappearing under mysterious circumstances.

“Claire is naïve and too curious for her own good, but she’s a responsible girl.” Bruce rubbed his eyes and Bunny twigged to the sleep lines under his eyes. The man hadn’t slept for the last few nights. “She wouldn’t just leave without at least sending us a note.”

“Have ya gone to Scotland Yard?” Bunny asked.

Bruce nodded. “We tried, but we have no solid proof. They just wrote it off, sayin’ we were worryin’ too much.”

Bunny leaned against his hand in thought. In truth, that was only part of it. The men were claiming the retired navy Captain Bluebeard had done something horrible to their sister. People had considered how many wives the man had gone through with some suspicion, but Scotland Yard would need more than stories to investigate a high ranking man like Bluebeard.

When it came to either believing the word of a former navy Captain or a simple pair of clerks, many people would deem it foolish to side with the latter.

“We came to you for advice, Mister Holmes,” Bruce replied. “We’re out of ideas and don’t know who else to turn to.”

Bunny held his chin in thought. “Your sister. How did she meet him?” If Claire was from a family of clerks, it wasn’t as if she and Bluebeard were part of the same social circles.

“At a party,” Bruce explained. “She went with our cousin and her husband, who’s a banker.”

“Was very quiet about courting her too,” said Bruce disapprovingly. “He had just gotten divorced from his previous ‘runaway’ wife when he began to see Claire.”

“He told her to keep it secret,” Steven muttered and Bunny noticed bitterness in his voice. “Said there would be too much gossip if people knew and the bloke didn’t even have the decency to ask Bruce for her hand in marriage!”

“What do you two know about Bluebeard exactly?” Bunny interrupted, not wanting to get off topic. “Ever been into his home?”

Bruce shook his head. “Only a couple of times, and even then we were only in a drawing room.”

“And we’ve only met the man a few times in person,’ Steven added. “He’s very secretive. I’m certain he would keep Claire locked away and not allow her to see anyone if he could.”

Bunny nodded. “Sounds to me you need someone to investigate Bluebeard properly,” he stated as he rose. “And I’ll be the one to do it.”

Bruce seemed to relax as Steven extended a hand in gratitude. “Thank you so much, Mister Holmes, so what should do we now?”

Bunny leaned forward. “As of this moment, go home and do nothin’.”

“That’s it?!” Steven exclaimed. “But Claire could be-”

“I need time to gather information,” Bunny explained. “If ya sister is in trouble, I can’t just go waltzin’ in now can I?”

Bruce sighed, but seemed to understand. He looked to Steven and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “He’s right, we’ve done all we can. Best to let Mister Holmes take over for now.”

Steven scowled, but gave a nod. Bruce reached for his hat and nodded to Bunny. “Again, thank you, Mister Holmes.” He handed him a card. “That’s our address, please don’t hesitate if you need us for anything.”

“Course,” Bunny replied as the brothers made their way out. He waited until he heard the door close and then sat back into his chair.

“Ya hear all of that?” Bunny called as he picked up his pipe.

“Every single word,” Jack replied as he entered the room. “Think I’ll join in on this one.”

Bunny paused. This was the first time Jack had ever mentioned being interested in joining Bunny and helping solve a case with him. “You will?”

Jack tucked his hands into his pockets. “Sure, seems it might be fun.”

Bunny knew it was more than that. Jack, although he wouldn’t admit it aloud, was an older brother with a sister he wanted to protect himself. He probably knew exactly what the Huntsman brothers were feeling.

“Right then,” Bunny muttered as he stood. “It’s time to learn as much as we can about dear Captain Bluebeard.”

080808080808080808080808080808080

By means of talking with Sandy, it didn’t take much effort to gather the information on Bluebeard. The inspector would have gladly joined the gathering with in the study, but he had his own case to solve.

Bunny was also not expecting Tooth to declare she wanted to assist with the case as well, tagging along with North when he had arrived. When had this become a group effort? According to Sandy’s information, Bluebeard was called ‘The Captain of Loyalty’ because of his own center being loyalty, the same way Tooth’s was memory, and Bunny’s was hope. As with most humans, gaining a center had extended the man’s lifespan.

No one was sure just how old Bluebeard was, but there were many stories of him. The most famous story was that of how Bluebeard gaining his center had caused the captain’s beard to turn blue; this led the man to be called “Bluebeard.” Most people had never even heard of his original name.

The other reason Bluebeard had earned such infamy was the number of wives the man had gone through - ironic, given his moniker of ‘Captain of Loyalty.’ The man’s bad luck seemed to have started when his first wife ran off with her secret lover. Bluebeard had remarried, but it seemed every single wife he picked would end up going missing, presumably leaving him to be with another.

However, there were also those, including Sandy and other members of Scotland Yard, who had wondered if those women had perhaps not left Bluebeard’s house alive. It was quite odd that the man’s luck led to each wife just ‘happening’ to either go missing or run off. However, no body had ever been found for any of Bluebeard’s missing wives, so there was never an actual reason for Scotland Yard to step in. Besides, why would the ‘Captain of Loyalty’ be murdering his own wives?

Jack frowned as he read through the papers. “I’ve heard people say the man is not quite ‘all there’. In recent years, Bluebeard has resorted to marrying women below his social status. A decade ago he even married a maid.”

Bunny rolled his eyes. “I’m more interested on who he’s with now,” he muttered, stroking his chin.

“That should be Claire, but apparently he’s broken the engagement off with her.”

Bunny raised an eyebrow. “She’s only been missin’ a week, isn’t that rather soon to be breakin’ an engagement?”

“According to the rumours, he had made the decision before the disappearance - that was why Claire was going to see him, so he could tell her properly face to face,” Jack replied with a shrug. “At least, that’s the gossip the upper class women are spreading.”

North folded his arms over his chest. “Does he live in the city?”

Bunny shook his head. “After he retired, Bluebeard took up residence in the country. Apparently, he wanted to fine tune his magic and felt he could do that better in isolation.”

“So,” Tooth started as she daintily set her cup of tea on her saucer. “How do you propose we investigate Bluebeard?”

Bunny sighed. “By gettin’ close to him, but that ain't easy.” Bunny paced thoughtfully as he smoked his pipe. “He’s a very secretive and private man that’s for certain.” 

Jack flipped through Bunny’s collection of newspapers articles and leaned back in his chair. “He also goes to very few events during the season, and frankly only tends to go if he’s looking for a new wife.”

North nodded as Phil placed a tray of muffins on the table before heading back into the kitchen. “He is also high ranking, will not be easy for us to approach him. Would need someone to introduce us to him.”

Tooth chewed her bottom lip. “Actually, that won’t be a problem, since I could do it.”

The three men paused and stared at Tooth in surprise. “Ya know Bluebeard?”

Tooth shook her head. “Not very well, but he did introduce himself to me when the Contessa invited me to her garden party last spring.”

North frowned as he reached for a muffin. “I remember party, Bunny and I were away on case, but did not tell me you met Bluebeard.”

“It was only a brief introduction,” Tooth explained as she patted North’s hand. “I think he was only slightly curious about me since I am technically royalty.”

The others gave a nod of understanding. Tooth was the last of the Sisters of Flight, who in India were often called the Princesses of the Skies. Since Tooth came to London, there had been many curious people, mostly of the upper class, who had invited Tooth to numerous events during the season. Most of the time, Tooth had politely declined, attending only a few to be polite. 

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “So, it wouldn’t be out of the question for you to introduce us to Bluebeard?”

Tooth drummed her fingers against her cup. “Yes, but even then there’s no guarantee he would want to interact with us.”

Bunny puffed out some smoke. “Maybe it would be easier to sneak into his house as a servant then.”

Jack shook his head as he waved away the smoke. “Won’t work, from what I’ve heard he also has few servants, and they don’t live in the house at night. The only ones that live there are him and whoever is his current wife.”

“And where exactly are ya gettin’ all this info?” Bunny asked dryly. “None of that was in the files Sandy gave us.”

Jack smirked. “From these amazing things called ‘parties’. Perhaps you should try them sometime.”

“I’ll pass,” said Bunny rolling his eyes.

“If he has done something to Claire,” North muttered, rubbing his hands together. “Would he be looking for new wife?”

“I would say so,” replied Tooth, drumming her fingers against her knee. “That would explain the rumour Mary heard the other day from the butcher.”

“And what’s that?” Bunny asked as he rested his arm on the fireplace’s mantel.

“That he will be attending the Opera House this Saturday to see the Gypsy Baron.”

“By himself?” North asked.

“That’s the rumour.”

“Really?” Jack replied with a grin. “That’s interesting and it’s giving me an idea.”

Bunny turned back suspiciously. “Well don’t keep us in suspense, Mate.”

Jack continued to grin as he rose. “Seems to me,” he said as he pushed back his hat, “that the most secure way to get close to Bluebeard is through his heart - seeing as we know he doesn’t want new friends.”

North paused and gave Jack a distrustful look. “Jack, you are not suggesting Tooth try to-”

Jack waved his hands. “No, no, of course not, North. That’s ridiculous.”

Bunny chuckled and went to breathe in his tobacco. “Well, that’s a relief.”

Jack smirked. “I’m suggesting I do it.”

Bunny coughed and choked on his puff of smoke.

Jack sighed and patted Bunny’s back. “See, this is why you need to stop smoking.”

“But Jack,” Tooth asked as Bunny caught his breath. “Bluebeard won’t be interested in a boy-”

“Jack Adler? No,” replied Jack. “But if I wear a nice dress, and go by the name of Jessica, the man won’t be the wiser.”

North blinked. “You are suggesting to dress as a girl to fool Bluebeard?”

Jack shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done it.”

Bunny’s lungs were finally able to take in air again. “When have you ever-” He stopped himself. With the numerous visits Jack had paid to people’s houses, it wasn’t that far fetched an idea. “On second thought, not sure if I want to know.”

“Hold it,” Tooth said as she rose. “I know you’re quite the social butterfly Jack, but it won’t be proper for ‘Jessica’ to go unescorted.”

“Which is why Jessica will be going with her good friends Tooth and North Watson as escorts,” Jack explained.

“Is good idea,” said North as he stroked his beard. “But, Tooth and I do not have tickets to opera.”

“I’ll get them from Manny.”

“Manny?” Bunny asked, for some reason liking this plan less and less. “What does he have to do with this?”

Jack’s expression changed to an annoyed frown. “He’s been hinting he wants me there to ‘pickpocket’ certain people there for information he needs for...something.”

Bunny sighed. Yup, typical Manny. Using Jack to gather information would be right up his alley.

“Figured I could do that and I can get introduced to Bluebeard at the same time.”

Bunny frowned as he rose from his chair. “I don’t like it.”

Jack turned and looked puzzled. “What’s not to like?”

Tooth and North also exchanged confused looks. “Is good plan, Bunny,” North replied.

“It’s too dangerous,” Bunny explained. “We’re blatantly asking Jack to have himself be courted by a potential serial killer.” He placed his pipe on the mantel and turned. “I should dress as a woman myself and do it.”

Jack stared at him and burst out laughing. “That’s hilarious!”

“I’m serious!” Bunny exclaimed.

“And so am I,” Jack interjected. “You may be a master of disguise, but all of Bluebeard’s wives have been human. He wouldn’t be interested in you.”

“Not to mention,” Tooth added with a sympathetic look. “Jack does have more experience in the social life of the upper class than you.”

“Da,” North nodded in agreement. “If we are to do this, it has to be Jack.”

Bunny still didn’t seem convinced, but raised his arms in defeat. “Fine, fine! I can see I’m outnumbered here.”

Jack patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Bunny. I can handle this.”

Bunny grumbled and reached for his pipe. He was going to need more tobacco to handle this case, he was certain of it.

08080808080808080808080808080808080

Saturday came more quickly than Bunny could ever have expected. Manny had happily provided tickets so long as Jack agreed to ‘acquire’ the information he needed from certain guests that were attending the opera. 

Manny offered one to Bunny as well, but he refused. Bunny had his own plan of disguising himself as an usher so he could watch Bluebeard without raising attention to himself. Not to mention many would be wondering why the detective Bunnymund Holmes was attending the opera when he never took part in any social life. Bunny never had understood the appeal of opera in the first place, it was far too loud for his sensitive hearing.

Bunny hadn’t seen Jack’s dress until his arrival at the opera house with Tooth and North. He had gone ahead to sneak himself in and had left while Tooth was helping Jack tie his corset. Seriously? Did Jack need an actual corset?

Bunny had to admit, Jack Adler was unrecognizable as Jessica, at least to the untrained eye. 

His hair was still white, but he was wearing a hair extension - oddly tied with a red ribbon. Jack’s dress was also red with tints of yellow along the hem, and he wore chocolate brown gloves to complement it. He also carried a fan and was playing with the string of pearls he was wearing around his neck, but he also had a choker with a leaf pendant as well. Jack must have decided that “Jessica” should be more associated to autumn in order to distance himself from “Jack Adler” who would normally wear shades of ice blue with snowflakes.

Still, it was clearly Jack and it didn’t shock Bunny when he saw him appear in his feminine disguise. Hearing Jack introduce himself as “Jessica Rabbit”, though, earned a double take.

Bunny knew that wink Jack gave after the introduction was for Bunny alone. He made a mental note to get back at Jack later for the joke once they were home.

However, Bluebeard had arrived to the opera late just as the curtains were rising and Bunny wasn’t able to find him until intermission. At that point, Bunny had a clear view of him from his position at the door leading into the lobby. The man was wearing the white uniform of a retired navy captain and his beard was the famous royal blue the stories reported.

Bunny watched him, trying to read his body language to glean any hints to the man’s true personality. He stood straight and alert, clearly his days as a sailor had never left him. He seemed to keep mostly to himself, only talking to the occasional person to make a brief bit of small talk.

There was a small trait Bunny picked up on - the man did not want anything staining his white uniform. As a nobleman laughed and waved his glass of red wine around, Bunny saw Bluebeard grimace and carefully step back. That was far from the only time though. Time and time again, he would avoid brushing against or coming into contact with anything that would blemish his clothing.

Bunny tucked away this potential clue for later as he then turned to spy on Jack. The thief was in his natural environment of having to make small chat and charm the various nobility around him. Jessica wasn’t all that different from what Bunny had seen, although Bunny did note that Jack was attracting more of the attention from the men than women. Bunny assumed it meant that Jack’s disguise was a success. Bunny was curious on exactly which pocket Jack was helping himself to, but that was not his mission tonight.

Bunny watched silently as Tooth walked to Bluebeard with Jack at her side. Bluebeard stared grimly, until Jack uttered a joke that made the man chuckle. The amused glint in his eyes was like a bell ringing. 

The trap was set and it was crystal clear that Bluebeard was interested in ‘Jessica’ the minute he laid eyes on Jack. Bunny hated it. It felt like he was forced to sit back and watch a deer being eyed by a hungry wolf. However, what was frustrating him the most was that Bunny knew he shouldn’t be feeling this way. 

He was acting like a jealous lover and there was no need when he knew this was all a ploy to lure Bluebeard to reveal himself. That didn’t make Bluebeard kissing Jack’s hand any more bearable to watch, though.

To Bunny’s shame, he was so engrossed with the scene before him he hadn’t even noticed North move beside him until a hand was on his shoulder. “He is going for bait,” North whispered. “That is good thing.”

Bunny grumbled. “Just so long as the bait doesn’t become another victim,” he muttered. “Jack has a bad habit of getting in over his head.” Bunny instantly recalled when Jack had foolishly decided to deal with Pitch himself, when the crime lord had tried to frame Jack for a theft he had no part in. Granted, Jack hadn’t known at the time it was Pitch behind the mess, but Bunny still felt that Jack should have come to him for help.

North seemed to read Bunny’s thoughts and patted his shoulder. “Jack, has more common sense than you assume, he will be fine.” He looked back to where Jack was now fanning himself with his fan. “And hopefully find the missing girl alive.”

Bunny nodded firmly and tried not to twitch as Bluebeard offered his arm to Jack to escort him back to his seat.

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“He’s certainly taken with me,” said Jack as he adjusted the feather in his hat before donning it and looking into the mirror. “He’s trying to be discreet about it, but I say it won’t be long until he invites me to his house.”

Bunny scowled from his seat as he looked Jack’s outfit over. It was another dress, this time a simple yellow gown and Jack even had a parasol to match. “Where are you gettin’ all of these dresses?”

“I’ve always had them,” Jack replied as he applied some makeup. “I’ve just been keeping them in trunks since they take up so much space. Not to mention it’s a chore to keep up with the current fashion trend.”

Bunny shook his head and tried again to avoid thinking about how many dresses Jack actually owned. “And where exactly is Bluebeard taking you all out now?”

For the past couple of weeks, Bluebeard had invited Tooth, North and “Jessica” out to the theater, a garden party held by the Lady Briar Rose and a charity event at the museum. The plan was working, and Bunny knew he should be glad. However, at each event, while Bunny was in disguise, he had to sit and watch Bluebeard fawn over Jack. 

There was even a point when Bunny had ‘accidently’ bumped into Bluebeard when he noticed the captain’s hand was a bit lower on Jack’s hip than it should have been. This had caused the good captain to be knocked into the punch bowl and get his beard soaked. Bunny was curious to know why he was more frantic about his uniform getting stained rather than his beard. The man had a odd obsession with white.

Bluebeard didn’t seem to notice who exactly had knocked into him, but Bunny saw the scowl from Jack out of the corner of his eye.

“It’s a stroll in the park,” Jack finished and put away his makeup. “We’re going for a ride in a carriage, although...” Jack looked to Bunny and folded his arms over his chest. “I am hoping the Captain gets through this incident without a soggy beard.”

Bunny shrugged. “I told ya, it was an accident, Mate.”

Jack raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Right, well if this plan is going to work you need to keep your jealousy in check-”

“I AIN’T JEALOUS!” Bunny hissed through his teeth. “But for a supposed gentleman of a captain, the man seems unable to remember his manners and keep his paws off of ya.”

Jack sighed, sounding annoyed. “Bunny, I’m a ‘big girl’ and I can take care of myself.”

“You’re not the one I’m worried about,” Bunny mumbled as he slouched forward and reached for his pipe. 

Jack pursed his lips, debating if he wanted to say something. Whatever he was considering, Jack finally sighed and snatched Bunny’s wrist, holding onto it as he pulled himself into Bunny’s lap.

“You do trust me, don’t you?”

Bunny choked, surprised by the question. “Course I do.”

“Then stop treating me like I’m a fragile doll, I’ve been in far more dangerous situations than this.” He gave a smirk. “And I’ve come out with all my limbs intact. It’ll be fine,” Jack reassured as he gently pulled at Bunny’s tie. 

“Just a few more outings, Bluebeard will invite me into his house, I find Claire and then this case is over.” Jack smirked as he then leaned forward and whispered. “And then you can rip me out of this dress.”

Bunny shut his eyes and took in Jack’s scent. His scent of snowdrops was stronger than usual thanks to the amount of perfume he was wearing. “And how is ‘rippin’ you out of your dress’ different from normal?” Bunny mused.

Jack grinned. “Cause you haven’t seen the annoying corset I’m wearing underneath this.”

Bunny opened his mouth, but a shout cut him off. “Jack! Bunny!” Tooth called. “Are you there?”

Bunny cursed as Jack climbed off him with a sigh. Talk about bad timing. “We’re coming, Tooth,” Jack called as they left Jack’s room and headed into the study where Tooth stood waiting for them.

“Thought you weren’t coming for another hour,” Bunny replied as he sat in a chair.

Tooth took a pile of papers from under her arm and spread them out on the table. “I just came back from seeing Sandy.” She fanned them out for both to see. “I got the file on Bluebeard’s first wife Rachel Bones, like you asked, Bunny.”

Bunny straightened his posture as he reached out for a paper to read. “And what did ya learn?”

“It was an arranged marriage apparently,” Tooth summarized as she handed Jack a paper. “And like the rumours say, Rachel was reported to have a lover and one day she just disappeared.”

Jack skimmed through his paper. “Like Claire, she was supposed to be at her parent’s home for a party, but never appeared?”

Tooth nodded. “Yes, but here’s the intriguing part.” She lifted the last paper in the file. “After Bluebeard reported her missing, Jean Luc, Rachel’s lover, did go to Scotland Yard.”

Bunny’s eyes narrowed and took the paper from Tooth. “Why would he do that if he ran off with Rachel?”

“Because he didn’t,” Tooth explained. “It seems he was away in France, and he had witnesses to prove it. When he came back to London and learned Rachel had vanished-”

“He made the same conclusion the Huntsman brothers did,” Jack finished as he stroked his chin in thought. “And Scotland Yard didn’t do anything?”

“Not much they could do,” said Bunny as he read over the paper. “No body was ever found and they would be takin’ the word of a man who was havin’ an affair with a captain’s wife.”

Tooth sighed and nodded. “They just assumed she had run off with another man and after a few years, Bluebeard officially divorced her.”

“What about his second wife?” Bunny asked. “Find much about her?”

“It was almost an identical case,” Tooth said. “But there was no evidence of a lover, so when Bluebeard reported her missing no one took notice. However,” she held up a finger and pointed to a paper. “He didn’t wait as long to file a divorce nor to get married again.”

She folded her arms. “It seems with each wife he took less and less time to divorce and remarry.”

Jack scratched his head. “I still find it hard to believe Scotland Yard has never done anything about this.”

“There’s never been much evidence,” said Tooth. “According to Sandy, if anyone found an actual body, they would be diving in.”

“So, question is,” Bunny muttered as he drummed his fingers against his knee. “If Bluebeard has been murderin’ his wives, where and how has he been storin’ the bodies?”

“If we can answer that,” Jack replied as he rose from the chair. “Then we should be able to find Claire.”

Tooth bit her lower lip. “Let’s just pray that she is still alive somehow.”

Bunny frowned as he made an extra wish for Jack not to join her if that was not the case.

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Jack held a letter in his hand and waved it like a victory flag. “We’ve hit paydirt!” Jack called as he climbed the stairs. “Jessica has just received a personal invitation to visit Bluebeard in his home.”

Bunny looked up from the table and placed the vial he was experimenting with back in its holder. “Ya gave Bluebeard our address?”

Jack scoffed as he opened the letter with a knife. “Course not, I told him I was staying with my dear friend Tooth so all letters had to go through her. Mary just gave it to me.”

Bunny wrinkled his nose. “And does Mary know what we’re planning?”

Jack laughed as he read the letter. “Who do you think helped me pick out which dresses to wear?”

“Right, right,” Bunny muttered as he waved a hand, not wishing to know more. “So, what does the invitation say?”

Jack’s gaze was glued to the paper. “He wishes for me to visit him at his home,” Jack raised his head and neatly folded the letter. “Unescorted I might add, who knew the captain was such a scoundrel?”

Bunny’s fingers drummed against his elbow. “And he expects you to do that without telling your good friend Tooth does he?”

Jack leaned against the wall. “Yes, because ‘Jessica’ has been strongly hinting to Bluebeard that she prefers to keep matters just as private as he does.”

Bunny gave a disapproving grunt. “Ya can’t go in there alone, too dangerous.” He raised his hand to stop Jack’s protest. “And both North and Tooth would agree with me.”

“But we don’t have a choice,” Jack pointed out. “I have to go alone, he won’t let me in if I have someone with me.” Jack tucked his hands into his pockets and paced. “I did locate a small cottage that’s across the lake from where Bluebeard lives and it’s up for rent.”

“So, you’re reckonin’,” Bunny muttered as he read Jack’s train of thought. “That we use it to spy on Bluebeard.”

“We’ll make it a rendezvous point,” said Jack. “You three keep watch like a trio of guardian angels and if I don’t come out, you’ll know I’ve gotten into trouble.”

Bunny frowned. He still couldn’t stomach the idea of Jack going in by himself. Bunny was well aware that Jack could take care of himself, but then again the thief had barely gotten out of a few fights by the skin of his teeth. Bunny wanted to say he was certain Jack would win in a fight against Bluebeard, but who knew what dirty tricks the captain had up his sleeve to tip the odds in his favor.

“It’s our only chance of learning what’s happened to Claire,” Jack finished as he touched Bunny’s shoulder. “Not to mention, putting an end to a serial killer.”

Bunny sighed as he moved to the door that connected to North and Tooth’s house. “I’ll fetch the others and you go pack.” He looked to Jack. “Just promise me you’ll hide a knife or something sharp and pointy up ya sleeve?”

Jack smirked. “Don’t I always?” He gave a wink. “Besides, if I can’t fool a man in this outfit at this point, whatever shall happen the next time I need to wear this?”

Bunny sighed. “Please don’t tell me when this next time is.”

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“Do you see him yet?” Tooth asked as she hovered over North’s shoulder.

North sighed as he tried to focus his pair of binoculars and continued to peer through the window. It was a warm day, with a bright sun. Unfortunately, the dark clouds over the horizon indicated it was sure to rain soon. It might cloud their view later, but for the moment they had a clear view of Bluebeard’s home.

“Not yet, but is hard to tell from this side of lake. I do wish we could watch him closer.” Behind North, Bunny sighed and fidgeted. 

“It can’t be helped, this house was the only thing anywhere near where Bluebeard lives,” said Tooth as she eyed Bunny. “He’ll be fine, it’s not like this is the first time Jack has snuck into a home like this.” She tilted her head. “He’s a professional at this if I’m not mistaken.”

Bunny grunted. “I suppose...”

Tooth narrowed her eyes. “There’s nothing to suppose, it’s a fact.” She then rose and surprised Bunny by dragging him to the other side of the room away from North’s ears. “Bunny, I know how you feel about Jack, I’ve fought with the same feelings with North.” 

Bunny paused and twitched an ear. “Ya have?”

She held up a finger. “Each and every time one of you insist on bringing a gun or have gone to step into heaven knows what kind of trouble, but I don’t try to stop him. Do you know why?”

Bunny frowned and ran his paws over his ears, and when he couldn’t find an answer Tooth continued. “I do so because I trust North’s ability in protecting himself.” She offered a comforting smile. “I know you just want him to be safe, but you can’t keep Jack locked up in Baker Street no more than I can North. They would both be miserable if we did.”

Bunny went quiet. What Tooth was saying made sense, and he couldn’t deny he knew he was being overly paranoid. Nonetheless, the fear still nagged at the back of his mind.

“And I know, it’s hard to fight that feeling,” she continued softly, “when you’ve already lost one family.”

Bunny paused, looking at Tooth in a new light. In a similar fashion to Bunny, Tooth had also lost everything she had known and had been on her own for years. He saw it in her eyes, after spending so many years on their own and finding someone they could each happily share their life with, the idea they might lose that feeling scared them both beyond belief.

“Ya right,” he admitted quietly. “I’ve been an idiot.”

“An understandable idiot,” Tooth replied gently while touching his arm. Bunny reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. The two of them had found a mutual fear, and perhaps it was something they could both learn to deal with.

“I still think he would not see us if we watch from boat in lake,” said North firmly called from the window.

Bunny rolled his eyes. “Being a retired Navy Captain, Bluebeard would be wondering why a trio of people were in the middle of a lake for hours on end.”

North scoffed. “You have never gone fishing, we must correct that after case.”

"Worms are fertilizer, not food!"

Tooth abruptly shushed both of them and pointed to the window. “I see Jack’s carriage coming up the road.”

Bunny forgot the debate and rushed to the door. The small carriage Jack had hired was driving up to Bluebeard’s front door. He let out a deep growl. “I really hate this,” he muttered.

Tooth rubbed his shoulder sympathetically. “It’s almost over, do you see him, North?”

North muttered as he adjusted his binoculars. “Not quite, wait! I see him. Bluebeard is at door and Jack is walking inside.” North watched for another moment before he sighed and stood. “He is in house, so now we wait.”

Bunny’s muscles tensed as he gazed at the house as if he would suddenly acquire the ability to see through walls.

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Jack shouldn’t have been startled by the amount of white roses that grew around Bluebeard’s house. Many nobles did enjoy showing off their status with a large garden, and roses were quite popular. 

However, to see white roses not only completely covering the front lawn, but to be literally in every vase and windowsill in the house was pushing the bounds of sensibility. Just seeing them made Jack’s skin crawl as these roses had been altered with magic - their scents were much stronger than normal. Bluebeard must had infused them with his magic somehow and it reeked throughout the house.

Jack had to wonder how on earth Bluebeard had gotten so many previous wives that were able to handle the stench. “I didn’t think you were a lover of flowers.”

Bluebeard stared longingly at the roses as if they were old friends as he offered Jack a glass of white wine. “My first wife was quite fond of them.”

“Oh?” Jack asked curiously as he took the glass of wine, careful to not spill a drop on his skirt but thankful for a sip. Keeping his voice in a constant high pitch was hard on his throat. “And you’ve still kept them?”

“I’m not a gardener by any means, however,” Bluebeard pluck a rose from a vase and pinned it to his uniform. “I’ve come to appreciate their meanings.” He looked up with his arms folded neatly behind his back. “You are aware different colours of roses have different meanings don’t you?”

Jack reached out with his gloved hand and stroked a petal. He sensed there was something else about these roses. Upon a closer inspection, they were twice the size of a normal rose. If Bluebeard had altered their smell, what else had he done and why? “White roses, as I recall, mean innocence and purity.”

Bluebeard gave a solemn sigh and placed a hand over his heart. “Indeed they do, if only these traits were so easy to find in humans, would you not agree?”

Jack flicked out his fan to cover his face. “Indeed, dear captain.” He watched silently as Bluebeard moved his arm to fetch a glass of wine. Jack caught a slight jingle, coming from the captain’s side. The sound was a set of keys, no doubt, and Jack flexed his fingers from behind his fan. 

Perhaps it was time to advance his plan. He was supposed to meet the others within a few hours, so he didn’t have a lot of time to spend socializing with the dear captain. Jack moved his foot forward and purposely stepped on his dress to make himself trip.

Jack fell and, like a gallant knight, Bluebeard caught him just as Jack’s fan slipped from his hand.

“Are you all right Miss Rabbit?” Bluebeard asked in concern as he let Jack lean on him.

Jack faked a swoon and gratefully nodded. “Oh, yes, thank you. Sorry, the heat must be getting to me.” Jack made sure to distract Bluebeard by fluttering his eyelashes as his newly freed hand slipped into Bluebeard’s jacket.

Bluebeard led Jack to a chair just as Jack wrapped his fingers around the keys and slipped them behind his back. 

“Perhaps I should get you some water, then?” Bluebeard offered.

Jack carefully held the keys in his hand as he picked up his fan to conceal them. “I’ll be fine, Sir, but I do believe I need to slip into the powder room.”

Bluebeard nodded and took a small bow. “Of course, it’s just down the hall. Do you require assistance?”

Jack fanned himself while he shook his head and climbed to his feet. “No, don’t trouble yourself, good sir. I shall return shortly.” Jack entered the hall, carefully watching Bluebeard. The man seemed calm, but Jack took note as the man started to fidget with a rose plucked from a vase.

_Something is off with that man, that’s for sure._ Once Jack was safe from Bluebeard’s sight, he took in his surroundings. 

Suddenly, Jack heard a sharp tapping sound. It was soft, and could be barely heard, but it repeated constantly. “That can’t be normal,” Jack murmured. He pressed his ear to the wall. 

_It’s coming from something behind this wall. A pipe perhaps?_ Jack held a hand to the wall as he attempted to follow the tapping. He found himself walking down a flight of stairs before the tapping got louder.

He reached a wide white door and was forced to cover his nose. Roses, several garlands of the same white roses, were hanging around the doorframe. The smell was strong enough to make Jack nauseous. Yet, it was clear the tapping was coming from behind the door.

Jack turned the knob and wasn’t surprised to find it locked. “Good thing I snagged these, then,” Jack said as he examined the keys. There weren’t many, but the largest key was painted pure white. 

“This guy has a very unhealthy obsession with white.” Jack placed the white key into the lock and sure enough it turned with a sharp click. As Jack pulled the key out, it suddenly turned a bright red.

Jack stared in alarm. “He placed a spell on the key too? I better hurry, who knows what other spells he has lying around.”

However, upon entering the room, Jack almost forgot the situation. The smell of white roses were nothing compared to the odor of decay in the room. Jack covered his mouth to stop himself from vomiting. Now he knew why the captain enhanced the smell of roses; it was to hide the stench of death coming from this chamber.

Skeletons, several of them hanging off of chains on the wall, all of them wearing the tattered remains of ball gowns. “Bluebeard’s wives,” Jack replied as he drew closer to inspect one. “So, this is where he hid the bodies.”

“I-is someone there?!”

Jack jumped at the voice. 

“Please! Please, help me!” it cried again, cracking a bit.

Jack picked up his skirts and dashed into the next room. A young woman bound to the wall by a chain was ready to burst into tears as she stared at Jack. “Please! Please, help me! Before he comes back!”

Jack shushed her gently to calm her. “It’s going to be all right. Are you Claire?”

The woman’s eyes widened. “Y-you know who I am?”

Jack wasted no time and set to work on the chain’s lock. “Your brothers sent me to find you. Was it you I heard tapping?”

Claire held back a sob. “Yes, I heard the captain enter with someone so I took a chance.”

“You heard?” Jack asked puzzled. “From all the way down here?”

“It’s that pipe,” she said, pointing to the object that hung just above her head. “The end is connected near the entrance so Bluebeard can hear the bell if someone comes.” She swallowed and wiped her eyes. “I thought if I kept hitting it hard enough, someone might hear on the other end.”

“Smart girl,” Jack muttered as he concentrated on the lock. “Another second and I’ll have you free-”

“BEHIND YOU!” Claire shouted.

Jack whirled around, but was unable to block the cane that struck his head and caused everything to go dark.

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Bunny stared at the clock and was tempted to smash the blasted thing on the floor. “Something’s gone wrong,” he looked out the window to glare at Bluebeard’s house. “He should have been here by now.”

North nodded grimly. “Da, I agree. I feel it in my belly. We must act!”

“Right,” Bunny agreed and went to get his gun off the shelf. “We’ll sneak around the back. I studied the house and there should be a window.”

Tooth touched Bunny’s arm. “Actually, North and I came up with a more direct approach of getting inside.”

Bunny gripped the gun handle. “And what plan is that? We all know the man won’t just let us in.”

“Two men and woman? No.” North marched into the bedroom and dragged out a trunk. “But Bluebeard is gentleman by code and judging by clouds, should be raining any second.”

Bunny glanced out and saw that North was right as the clouds began to burst with rain drops. “Yes, so?”

North lifted the trunk’s lid and reached inside. “Bluebeard could not call himself gentleman if he turns away three poor women caught in rain.” He brought out a large green dress and a hat with a thick veil. “Tooth thought this would fit you best.”

Bunny stared silently at the dress. “And where exactly did ya get these?”

“These are Jack’s dresses actually,” Tooth explained. “We were storing them for him.”

“Right, course.” Bunny sighed as he took the dress. There was no time to waste. Jack was in over his head, he could feel in his bones that the thief needed a rescue.

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Jack let out a moan as he awoke. He was aware of two vital facts; he had a splitting headache and he was currently tied up in rope. He forced himself to sit up and look to where Claire was.

She hadn’t noticed that Jack had regained consciousness and was quietly crying to herself. Her ankle was still chained, but she had been moved away from where the pipe was and now her arms were tied behind her back as well. “Claire?”

She flung her head up and Jack could see her eyes were spilling over with tears. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“What happened?” Jack asked.

“Bluebeard came and knocked you out with his cane.”

_That explains the splitting headache._

“This is all my fault,” Claire continued as the tears streamed along both of her cheeks. “We’re both trapped now and it’s all because of me. Why? Why did I have to open that stupid door?”

“Door,” Jack asked as he tried to wiggle out of his ropes, finding them too tight. “You mean to this room?”

Claire nodded as she choked back a sob. “All his previous wives did. It’s like some kind of weird test.” She buried her face into her knees. “Bluebeard gives you the set of keys to see if you’re tempted to open the door and he can tell-”

“‘Cause the key turns red when you do so,” Jack finished. “But why?”

“I don’t know, but he was especially angry with me because I-” Claire trailed off and glanced behind her.

Jack turned and saw she was staring at another door that was at the back of the room.

“I went in there,” Claire continued. “And he was so furious, I thought he would kill me, but he said I had to be punished and chained me in here.” She swallowed. “He said he would keep me alive until he found a replacement.”

Jack swallowed. “Claire, what’s in there? It could be important.”

“Another body,” Claire replied as she wiped her eyes. “But it’s different from the others. That body is-”

The main door flung open and Jack glared as Bluebeard marched inside. 

“I see you’ve come to, Miss Rabbit.”

Jack straightened his posture and glared back. He didn’t know how long he had been out, but hopefully it was long enough for Bunny and the others have realized that he was in trouble. That meant Jack had to buy as much time for them as possible.

“I must ask, dear Captain,” Jack gave a smirk and was gleeful as a scowl appeared on Bluebeard’s face. “Is this how you show a girl a good time, or am I just lucky?”

Bluebeard glared and raised a hand like he wanted to slap Jack, but he froze and held his hand back. “I thought you were different, Miss Rabbit.”

Jack pretended to be confused. “In what way exactly?”

Bluebeard’s face was full of hatred as his hand squeezed into a fist. “That you knew what loyalty meant! But both you and Miss Huntsman dared to pry into my secrets and she is worse!” He pointed an accusing finger at Claire which made her crawl back in fear. It made Jack wish he was able to move, so he could shield her a little.

“I told her specifically to not enter this room, but she did!”

“I-I’m sorry!” Claire sobbed. “I was just curious-”

“You women are all the same!” Bluebeard raged, lost in his own little world and not even registering Claire’s words. “Not one of you know the meaning of loyalty!”

Jack arched an eyebrow. “Is it loyalty you’re looking for, or is it pure obedience? ‘Cause they’re not the same thing.”

Bluebeard flinched at Jack’s words. Suddenly he looked lost and confused. “Not the-” Then his personal morals snapped back into place. “Of course they are! Don’t you dare try to trick me!”

“I’m not tricking you,” Jack replied, firmly like a school teacher. “I’m merely asking a simple question.”

“Mutiny!” Bluebeard cried and suddenly reached for a sword on the wall. “That’s what this is! Mutiny and you two shall suffer-”

The jingling of a bell cut him off. All three of them looked to the pipe where the echoes of the bell rang loudly.

Bluebeard cursed and sheathed the sword. “Who the blazes could that be?!” He tossed the sword aside and straightened his jacket. “I shall return ladies, mark my words,” he stated as he marched out and locked the door with a hard click.

“He’s insane,” Claire whispered. “We’re never getting out of here.”

“Don’t give up hope yet,” said Jack as he wiggled his arm and a knife slid out of his sleeve. “A friend of mine wouldn’t forgive us if we did.”

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“Is veil on straight?” North asked as he toyed with the thin cloth that covered his beard.

“It’s perfect, love,” Tooth replied as she tried to keep a hand on her umbrella to keep the rain off. “But don’t fiddle with it, or it will come off.”

Bunny sighed as he tugged at his dress top again. He had always found his regular male clothing to be restraining, but he never clued in how binding female clothing could be. With the tight cut around the waist from the dress and the ridiculous hat he was forced to wear on his head, Bunny was gaining a new level of respect for women.

And for Jack for that matter, Bunny shuddered at the very idea of wearing a corset underneath this dress as well. With that said, he was grateful he only had to hide a gun and a boomerang under his gown.

Both Tooth and North were somehow managing to hide their pairs of swords underneath their skirts. Bunny wasn’t sure how they were able to move with that extra weight, but on the other hand, the couple was far from normal.

Footsteps were heard coming toward the door. “Places,” Tooth whispered just as Bluebeard appeared.

He seem startled as he spotted Tooth. “Mrs. Watson? What on earth are you doing here?”

“Captain, my goodness, I didn’t realize you lived here,” Tooth exclaimed as she pretended to be extremely surprised. “I hate to trouble you, but may we come in?” She gestured to Bunny and North. “These are my good friends Miss Esther Basket and Miss Holly Day-”

_Mental note, create a book with better fake names to pick from for disguises Bunny thought to himself._

“Our carriage broke down on the road here,” Tooth continued. “Can you please help us?”

Bluebeard’s face was calm, but his foot was tapping against the ground. The man was agitated and nervous. “I apologize Mrs Watson,” he suddenly began to shut the door, “but I’m currently in the middle-”

North stomped his foot into the doorway. Bluebeard glared as North coughed to prepare his higher pitch voice. 

“Surely, gentleman like you would die before distressing three women in rain, da? Especially with the rumors of women disappearing around here.”

Bunny twitched. _Second note, give North proper acting lessons in changing voices._

Bluebeard’s fingers drummed against the door knob. At the same time, Bunny struggled to resist the urge to toss Bluebeard aside to search for Jack. Finally, the captain gave in and stepped aside with a bow. “O-of course, you can stay until the rain clears up.”

“Oh, thank you, Captain,” Tooth said with a smile as they entered. 

“I’m afraid I can’t offer much to you,” Bluebeard stated as he escorted them into the drawing room. “It is only myself here, I gave my servants the day off.”

Bunny looked over the room and spied the pair of wine glasses on the table. He picked up one and saw the leftover mark of lipstick. “If it’s only you, sir, why are there two glasses of wine?”

Bluebeard paled, but instantly covered it up as he snatched the glass from Bunny’s hand. “Pardon, my maid must have forgotten from yesterday. She’s a forgetful woman.”

_Maid, my foot._ Bunny thought. _That shade of lipstick is the same as what Jack has been wearing the last week._ Bunny caught Tooth’s eye and tilted his head to the door. 

Understanding the signal, Tooth approached the Captain and touched his arm. “Dear Captain, may we see your collection of medals? I’ve told Holly about your adventures in the Caribbean.”

North swooped in on Bluebeard’s other arm. “Yes, I am eager to see medals of famous Captain Bluebeard.”

Bluebeard appeared slightly flustered, but then he puffed out his chest and smiled with pride. “Certainly, Ladies, but my adventures in the Caribbean are nothing compared to my battle with the Pirate King in the Atlantic.”

Bunny began to follow, holding back until they were out of the drawing room then silently slipping into the opposite corridor. “That should distract him for awhile,” Bunny muttered and frowned as he saw more vases with white roses. However, here there was something odd.

Bunny drew closer, they were white now, but some of the lower petals near the edge were a pale red. His mind went to work. Roses didn’t change colour did they? No, not unless they were enchanted. He plunked out and felt a familiar tingle as he twirled the rose.

There was a spell cast on it, and Bunny suddenly recalled reading about a king that had white roses in his chamber. The king had cast a spell such that if he arrived and found the roses had turned red, it meant someone had entered his chamber without his permission.

Bluebeard had clearly read the same story. It was not a practical spell, however, Bunny recalled that the spell required fresh roses daily for it to work. So, the question was, why had Bluebeard placed such a spell on so many roses?

Bunny pondered this as he continued the search. His nose twitched as he smelled even more roses. Bunny normally liked flowers, but the smell from these roses were overwhelming. Suddenly, he caught the wisps of a completely different odor.

It was faint, but Bunny recognized the scent instantly. It was the smell of death and decay and it was a scent that had haunted Bunny’s nightmares for years on end.

That exact same scent was coming down the hall in faint wisps, but it was enough for him to be sure that there was death in this house. This house where Jack had last been seen. Bunny’s mind went blank as he ran on all four feet and raced down the hall.

The dress made it difficult to run, so Bunny gave a snarl and tore off the skirt. The scent made him want to vomit, but despite his body telling him to turn back, Bunny followed the stench. It led him to a large door, with more of those blasted white roses hung along the doorframe.

Even with the combination of the shut door and the strong scent of the roses, it wasn’t enough to overcome the wretched odor of decomposing bodies that Bunny could smell. It made Bunny sick to his stomach, and brought terrible memories to return to his mind. His instincts told him to flee, but this only made him panic more and scramble at the door knob.

Jack could be lying behind there hurt or worse- No, not Jack. His Jack could not be dead. Bunny cursed at the locked door knob and frantically used his claw to pick at the lock. There was a hard click and Bunny swung the door open.

The smell was overwhelming, but Bunny barged inside and searched the room. There were skeletons everywhere, several of them hanging from the walls in chains and each one wearing a moth eaten ball gown. Now Bunny knew what had happened to Bluebeard’s wives, but still no sign of -

“Jack!” Bunny called out. Please, please, let there be an answer.

“Bunny! Over here!”

Bunny raced around the corner and nearly collided with a skeleton as he halted. A pile of cut rope lay at Jack’s feet. He was currently standing up and tucking his knife back up his sleeve as he gave Bunny his famous cheeky grin. Jack alive, his Jack was alive. 

The thief sighed in relief. “Thank heavens,” he said with a laugh. “Should be easier to get out of here now-”

Bunny pounced and engulfed Jack into a hug. Jack wasn’t dead. He hadn’t lost Jack. Bunny buried his face into Jack’s neck. Bunny wanted to let his nose fill with Jack’s scent of snowdrops and ice to block out the looming odor of death around him.

“Bunny?” Jack asked, sounding concerned. “You alright?”

Bunny then remembered where they were and collected himself. “Yes, of course, I’m fine.” 

Jack gave a doubtful expression which caused Bunny to give an annoyed glare to change the topic. “But where the bloody hell have you been?! Ya were supposed to be at the safe house-”

“I got caught and tied up, if you haven’t noticed,” said Jack with his own glare and then tilted to his right. “And, I might add, we’re not alone!”

Bunny blinked and suddenly noticed the young woman who was still tied up. She was blushing madly and trying to look away.

Bunny coughed and straightened his posture. “Miss Claire Huntsman?”

She barely gave a nod as she began to stammer. “Um...I didn’t notice anything I swear. Um...I-it’s not my business what happens between a man and a woman.”

Woman? Right, Jack was still in his full disguise, so she still thought Jack was a woman. But how had she guessed Bunny was male? His disguise had been enough to fool Bluebeard.

Bunny looked down and realized his dress was now ruined. It was missing a skirt and had ripped in several places from his run. Anyone who wasn’t blind could tell he wasn’t a female on sight.

“I actually liked that dress,” Jack said as he looked over Bunny disapprovingly. “You owe me a new one.”

“I’ll buy ya three for all I care,” Bunny stated. “But we need to move, North and Tooth are distracting Bluebeard but it won’t last forever.”

“We will,” Jack said and went to hastily pick the lock on Claire’s chain while Bunny untied her ropes. “But we need to check out that room first.”

“Oh, please no!” Claire stammered as she was free from the chain. “I can’t bear to see it again!”

“Mind fillin’ me in?” Bunny asked.

Jack pointed towards the door at the back. “Claire found a body behind that door that made Bluebeard particularly angry.” He frowned. “And guessing by the bodies here, I believe I know who it is.”

Bunny looked to Claire, but decided it was better not to ask. Poor girl was shaking like a leaf, she was in no state to talk properly. “Please don’t make me go back in there,” she begged.

Jack patted her shoulder. “It’s fine, just stay here and we’ll be quick. Promise.”

Claire seemed hesitant, but gave a shaky nod. Bunny got out his gun and Jack turned the knob on the door.

It was a tomb, that much Bunny could tell at a glance. However, unlike the rest of the chamber it was well cared for. It had been dusted recently, and on a slab of stone there laid a woman in a long gown. 

At first glance, she appeared to be merely sleeping, but Bunny drew closer and touched her hand to confirm. “She’s dead, and I’m betting it’s his first wife, Rachel.” 

“How’s that possible?” Jack said as he narrowed his eyes. “Her body should be nothing but a skeleton by now.”

“There’s magic on this too,” said Bunny as he examined the top of Rachel’s body. “Bluebeard probably cast magic on the body to preserve it and keep it from decaying.” He saw the large bright red marks of a man’s hands wrapped around her neck. “And this ought ta be enough evidence for Scotland Yard.”

“Can we please leave now!” Claire called frantically from the previous room.

“Bunny, we’ve got to go,” said Jack as he took Bunny by the arm. “You can make theories later.”

“Don’t need to make them,” said Bunny as they quickly left the chamber. “I already know how the sheila died- BLAST!”

As they stepped into the hall, they saw every single white rose around the doorframe had turned bright red. “I forgot about those blasted roses!”

“What’s wrong?” Claire asked fearfully as she ducked behind Jack.

“Bluebeard has a spell on these roses to turn them red if anyone comes in here!” Bunny spat.

“Which means,” said Jack as he came to the same conclusion and looked to Bunny. “He knows you were in there!”

Suddenly they heard a familiar war cry come from the floor above them. “And it sounds like North and Tooth are already in the thick of things!” Bunny exclaimed, running down the hall.

The sounds of crashes and swords clashing grew louder as the trio entered the study. Every single table, vase and chair had been kicked over in the course of the battle. Both North and Tooth were dueling Bluebeard with a pair of swords each. 

Blades flashed through the air, clashing as the married couple tried to overpower Bluebeard. However, the captain was fast for his old age. No matter how North would try to make a distraction for Tooth to take out Bluebeard, the captain would instantly block the other attack. It was also clear as day Bluebeard was deranged.

“Mutiny!” he cried, laughing madly. “I will kill my whole crew! I slice all of your necks!” He didn’t even take notice that Bunny, Jack and Claire had entered.

“He’s lost it,” Jack said as Claire cowered behind him. “We need to put a stop to this.”

“North and Tooth seem to be holdin’ up well,” Bunny commented. “They ain’t goin’ to get hurt.”

“I know that,” Jack replied as he pointed to North. “But I would like to at least try to save some of my dresses from getting torn.”

Bunny rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine.”

“Bunny!” Tooth shouted as she blocked Bluebeard’s sword. “Could use your boomerang!“

“No need,” said Bunny as he picked up one of the few unbroken vases of roses that lay on the floor. “This should do the trick.” He snuck up behind Bluebeard and promptly smashed the heavy vase over his head.

The captain staggered momentarily before he collapsed in a heap on the floor. Bunny gave a smug grin and clapped his hands gleefully. “I’ve been itching to do that for weeks!”

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“Thank you for coming so quickly, Sandy,” Tooth said as the group watched Scotland Yard carry the the now sheet-covered body of Rachel out of the house.

Sandy nodded as he produced an image of Bluebeard standing in a cell.

“If those bodies don’t put away him for good, I’ll lose all faith in justice for good,” Jack replied as he fiddled with a tear in his skirt. “I’m going to need to sew this.”

Sandy quirked an eyebrow and created a sand image of a dress standing next to a question mark.

“Sandy, trust me,” Bunny said, tucking his hands into his coat. He had never been so grateful to wear his normal coat again. “Ya don’t want ta know why Jack has all these dresses.”

“In any case,” Tooth replied as they saw North approach them, also dressed in normal clothes again. “Dear, how is Claire?”

North sighed as he glanced back to where Claire sat on the steps of the house. “Is far too thin and needs bath, but body is fine.” He grimaced as they watched the poor girl try to hide in the coat North had offered her. “Is mind I worry about.”

Bunny nodded in agreement. He knew personally how hard it was to forget the smell of death. At least Claire had the advantage that she didn’t personally know the other victims, but even so the girl would surely be haunted by nightmares for a long time.

“What I don’t understand,” said Tooth as she watched the body be carried away. “How could a person with a center for loyalty kill his wife? I understand the others were done out of madness, but for Rachel, his first-”

“You got it backwards,” Bunny stated as he frowned and folded his arms. “Murderin’ his wife is what corrupted his center.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Bunny sighed. “I reckon, when Bluebeard found out his wife had a lover, he killed her in a fit of rage.” He looked to Jack and then to Sandy. “You both saw the red marks on Rachel’s neck? Bluebeard strangled her and the spell he cast also preserved those marks.”

Bunny sighed sadly. “Course, to Bluebeard, that was probably going against his center of loyalty even if his wife wasn’t loyal to him.” He instinctively reached for a pipe, only belatedly remembering he didn’t have it with him. “That’s why he preserved her body. He felt guilty for murderin’ her, and couldn’t just toss the body away.”

“So,” North muttered slowly. “Story of her running off with lover was to hide secret.”

“Correct, and eventually he married the second wife,” Bunny continued. “But, the poor sheila must have found the body and Bluebeard killed her to keep his secret.”

Jack nodded as he understood. “Having killed two wives in a row must have done a number on his center of loyalty.”

“By the time of the third wife, his centre was corrupted and that took a toll on his mind,” Bunny stated as he tapped a finger to his head. “So, he began to design that test of what he called ‘loyalty’ to see if his wife would obey him and not open that door.”

Tooth leaned against North who gladly put his arms around her. “After that, it was just repeat after repeat.”

“Exactly,” Bunny stated. “Bluebeard essentially became a serial killer and I’ll bet you he doesn’t even remember how this whole thing started in the first place.”

“All those murdered women,” Jack muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “At least we were able to save Claire.”

Sandy nodded as they turned to where Claire sat. She still remained unmoving like a doll.

“I hope she can recover from this,” said Tooth. “It must have been horrible to be trapped alongside all those bodies.”

At that point, a carriage pulled up and the group saw the Huntsman brothers climb out. Upon seeing them, Claire sprung up and ran into their arms. The two brothers wrapped their arms around her and held her protectively like they could shelter her from the world itself.

Jack straightened his posture. “She has her brothers at least, that will help her heal.”

North wrapped an arm around both Bunny and Jack and placed his other arm around Tooth. “Da! Is what families do.”

 

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It was well past midnight and Bunny should have been sound asleep. While everyone was happy and relieved the case was over, they were also all exhausted. Bunny had wanted to personally see Bluebeard locked behind bars, but Sandy insisted they go home for some rest.

In all honesty, sleep was the last thing Bunny craved. He was tired, but the smells of Bluebeard’s home had caused some horrible memories to resurface. Bunny couldn’t ignore that it had shaken him, but he was doing everything in his power to not dwell on the matter.

Of course, Bunny was well aware that as soon as he shut his eyes old nightmares he hadn’t had for years would return. The last time this had happened, he and North had still been roommates. Bunny had woken up screaming only for North to come charging into his room with swords in hand assuming there had been an intruder.

Embarrassed beyond belief, Bunny had explained to North that it was just a nightmare and insisted that North just go back to bed because he was perfectly fine. North hadn’t bought a word of it and promptly went to make some tea. They then spent the rest of the evening reminiscing on old cases until dawn broke.

Bunny sighed as he flipped the page of his book. He was half tempted to knock on North’s door, but refused the notion. Bunny simply refused to act like a scared child who was running to his parents’ bedroom in the middle of the night.

He debated going and fiddling with his chemicals, but he knew his mind wouldn’t be focused enough to do it safely. He rubbed his eyes to rid himself of the drowsiness as the words on the page became more blurry. 

“You should give up and sleep already.”

Bunny jumped, fully awake as Jack entered the room and leaned on his bedpost.

“Thought ya went to sleep hours ago,” Bunny said, recalling that Jack had gone to his bed far before Bunny had.

“I took a brief nap,” Jack said with a shrug. “But I’m finding I can’t sleep properly.”

Bunny lowered his book. “And why is that exactly?”

“Because when I close my eyes all I can see is your panicked and petrified face from earlier,” Jack replied.

Bunny coughed and looked away. “I was worried about ya, it was nothin’.”

Jack frowned. “You’re certain? Because you seemed to be close to havin’ a panic attack.” He turned and stared Bunny directly in his eyes. “Something happened that you’re not telling me. I’ve never seen you that terrified, and I don’t like it.” Jack pressed his head against Bunny’s forehead. “Please, tell me.”

Bunny stared back silently. Jack wouldn’t leave unless he told him and he knew that. Bunny rubbed the back of his neck and reluctantly spoke. “It’s trivial, it’s just the smell of Bluebeard’s chamber brought back some memories. That’s all.”

Jack kept his frown and looked unconvinced. “That’s all?”

“Yup, just got shaken up for a tic, that’s all.” Bunny stood straight. “I’m fine.”

“Then why haven’t you gone to sleep when it’s clear you’re tired?”

Bunny had no answer and tried to avert Jack’s gaze by looking back onto the same page he was trying to read. “I just have a real good book is all.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Right, then.” Jack then promptly shoved Bunny over as he crawled under the blankets.

“What are ya doin’?” Bunny snapped as he tried to keep a hold on his book.

Jack gave a content sigh as he laid his head on the pillow. “I’m sleeping with you.”

Bunny shut his book and placed it in his lap. “Not that I’m complainin’, but why?”

“So you don’t get nightmares.”

Bunny twitched an eye. “I’m not a child that needs to be coddled. I told you I’m fine!”

Jack opened one eye as he pulled the blanket up to his chin. “You say that, yet I refuse to believe a word of it.”

“Jack-”

Jack gave a yawn and turned to his side. “If you’re that against me sleeping here, then go crawl into my bed, but I’m staying put.” He gave a lazy wave with his hand. “Goodnight, Bunny.”

Bunny thought of arguing, but just sighed in defeat. He was too tired to argue and he simply refused to leave his own bed just to prove a point. He set his book on the table and laid back on his pillow.

Jack’s hair was just a few inches from his nose, so Bunny could smell nothing but Jack’s familiar scent of ice and snow drops. The cool scent soothed him greatly and he wrapped his arm around Jack.

He had expected Jack to tell him to let go, but he didn’t and instead let Bunny cling to him as if he was a teddy bear. Bunny shut his eyes, feeling far safer than he had expected. He fell asleep and instead of having dreams filled with dead bodies and blood, he dreamt of snowflakes.


End file.
